If you replace SYD-HKG-NRT-HKG with SYD-NRT-DEL-HKG that should add about 2591 miles, but none of it in F.

First, you'll need to remove discontinued routes from the plan. SJU-LAX is no more, and of course ANC is seasonal. In addition, AA's Caribbean routes (also Canadian, Mexican and Central American) have no first class cabin, so both DONEx and AONEx tickets book into J on those routes, taking your COS bonus as an EXP from 50% down to 25%.

This route - JNB-LHR-MCT-LHR-SYD-SIN-NRT-HKG-ORD-SJU-DFW-ANC-DFW-BOS-LAX-LHR-NBO adds around 1500 BIS miles, and because BA still runs F on SYD-SIN you'd also get a few more RDM than J to other Asian locations. You could get to Bangkok as cheaply from Singapore as from Hong Kong, and this would include Boston without much sacrifice in miles and hours in CX F/J (ORD v. JFK.)

That said, by my reckoning, an AONEx ticket ex-South Africa (on my route above) would earn roughly 11,000 more redeemable miles counting EXP and COS bonuses, than a DONEx on the same route. Clearly the first class ticket would be more comfortable, but at least to me the mileage bump wouldn't justify the additional cost. YMMV big time, of course.

AS AN ASIDE, I've posted a temporary "sticky" thread with a short poll. The current thread, and some others referenced here, involve people posting proposed itineraries and asking for help in "tweaking" or creating more optimum routing - for mileage or other purposes. The poll thread asks if we ought to open a "sticky" route optimization/alternatives thread where such questions and answers could go. I'll keep the poll going for a week. Thanks for your cooperation.

Gardyloo
Oneworld moderator

Thanks for your considered and detailed response, Gardy. A couple of things.

I had looked at EF, which still has AA 2078 listed. Based on AA.com, however, you're right. Back to the drawing board on that one.


Yeah, I forgot about that. I always think of SJU flights as domestic F. So maybe the answer is to eliminate SJU and do something like JFK-SEA-ORD-LAX-ORD-SEA-DFW (assuming that I'm out of ANC season) but I really wanted to end at LAX to grab the BA 380 LAX-LHR. OK, looks as though the entire domestic US portion will require rethinking.


Yeah, but there's no F between SIN and NRT. My routing had all F in SEAsia, using the QF 380 service SYD-HKG. Didn't there used to be F service to India on CX? That would help, too.


Great idea, I'm voting as soon as I finish this note.

Interestingly, LAX-SJU still runs (via DFW). So you could consider flipping the routing around, perhaps?
Also, my SJU flights booked into D, not J. I just double checked to confirm. Not sure about the restriction you mention. For an AONEx would they also book into D, or into J?

Yep, my mistake - it does show as a through flight (AA 1180, SJU-LAX AA 2078) hence okay on RTWs. Not every day, and both end sometime during the summer.

I meant "J" in the generic sense of "business." Yes, both AONEx and DONEx segments flown on AA Caribbean/Mexican/Canadian/Central American routes book into D.